Santa Claus Express: Finland's Night Train to Lapland

What the Santa Claus Express is

VR, Finland's national railway, runs the Santa Claus Express as a double-decker night train from Helsinki and Turku to Lapland. Onboard there is wifi, power sockets in the cabins, and the option of a private shower and toilet in some accommodation.

Winter travelers take it because it turns a long transfer into a night's sleep and delivers them close to the Arctic Circle. The train serves Rovaniemi, where the Arctic Circle begins, and continues to Kemijärvi or runs north toward Kolari along the Swedish border.

Where the train goes: Rovaniemi, Kemijärvi and Kolari

The Santa Claus Express runs from Helsinki and Turku to Rovaniemi, Kemijärvi and Kolari in Finnish Lapland. One service stops at Rovaniemi and continues to Kemijärvi, while the other runs further north toward Kolari, near the Swedish border.

Your choice of base shapes the trip: Rovaniemi is the busiest arrival point, Kemijärvi is a smaller town further east, and Kolari puts you in the far northwest near the Swedish border. Choose the stop that matches where you plan to sleep and chase, not just the first one on the timetable.

Helsinki, Turku and Tampere departures

The train leaves from Helsinki and Turku, with routes running via Tampere and Oulu on the way north. Interrail puts the run from southern Finland to Lapland at under fifteen hours, which is why an overnight departure makes sense for an aurora trip.

The Helsinki-to-Rovaniemi trip is commonly quoted at about ten hours, with an 877 km route and several daily departures. Timetables vary by date, so match your departure to the night you need to arrive in Lapland rather than assuming a fixed schedule.

Sleeper cabins versus seats

VR sells sleeper cabins as whole cabins rather than individual beds, so a two-person cabin gives you private use of the space. Cabins have two beds, storage for luggage, power sockets and wifi, with shower and toilet in the corridor on the standard cabin.

A seat is cheaper and fine for a short night, but it gives you less rest before a day outdoors in the cold. If you are traveling as a couple or family, the whole-cabin arrangement usually works out better than buying separate seats.

Deluxe cabins with private shower and toilet

Deluxe double cabins add a private bathroom with shower and toilet, along with bed linen and the same power and wifi setup. Travelers who want to arrive clean and rested before a husky safari or an aurora night often find the upgrade worthwhile.

The trade-off is cost and scarcity: deluxe cabins are a small share of the train, so they sell out first in winter high season. Book the cabin class you want at the same time as your travel date rather than waiting to upgrade later.

Onboard services: restaurant car, wifi and luggage

The train has a restaurant car for food and drinks, wifi, power sockets and luggage storage in the cabin and baggage car. You can also bring a car, bike or pet on many services, which makes the train a practical option for a self-drive aurora trip.

Breakfast can be delivered to your cabin, so you can wake up in Lapland without hunting for food on arrival. Confirm the services on your specific departure when you book, since facilities differ by train and route.

How to book and when reservations open

Reservations for beds and cabins on the Santa Claus Express are compulsory, and seats are best reserved in advance. Reservations open up to ten months ahead, and winter high season is the time to book earliest.

Book through VR directly for the train itself, and use third-party resellers only if you understand their fees and conditions. Interrail passes cover the journey but still require a reservation for a bed or cabin.

What it costs: seats and cabin reservation ranges

Reservation fees vary by route and availability: seats run from about €5 to €32.70, a double sleeper cabin from about €39 to €150, and a deluxe double with private bathroom from about €39 to €160. These are reservation fees on top of the fare, not the full ticket price.

Booking early generally means lower reservation costs and a better choice of cabin. Check the current fare and reservation total on VR's booking page before you commit, since prices change with demand and season.

Arriving in Rovaniemi: Arctic Circle and town layout

Rovaniemi sits where the Arctic Circle begins, and Santa Claus Village is a few kilometers from the city center. The village is the family-friendly stop for meeting Santa and his reindeer, while the town itself is the transport and services hub for the region.

For aurora nights, the town's light pollution means you will want to move away from the center toward darker roads and forest edges. Rovaniemi works well as a base because it gives you the widest choice of tours, rentals and onward connections in Lapland.

Which Lapland base to choose

Rovaniemi suits first-time visitors who want the Arctic Circle, Santa Claus Village and the largest choice of operators. Kemijärvi is quieter and further east, and Kolari puts you in the far northwest near the Swedish border, closer to fell landscapes and cross-border options. Weighing bases further afield, the northern lights in Saariselkä guide makes a useful comparison for travelers leaning north.

If your priority is dark skies, pick the base nearest the terrain you want to explore and plan day trips from there. Each stop has different access to national park trails, fells and tour operators, so match the base to your itinerary rather than defaulting to Rovaniemi.

Using the train as a base for aurora nights

The Santa Claus Express is transport into aurora country, not an aurora experience, so treat the ride as the start of your trip rather than the highlight. Once in Lapland, plan several nights on the ground and use local tours or a rental car to reach dark skies.

Aurora sightings depend on solar activity and clear skies, and Kp values are guidance only. Check the aurora forecast for your dates and keep your plans flexible so you can move to clearer areas when cloud cover shifts.

How many nights to plan for clear skies

No operator can promise a sighting, so the practical answer is to allow several nights in Lapland rather than one. A short break gives you few chances if cloud sits over your base, while a longer stay lets you wait for a clear window or move to another area.

Balance the cost of extra nights against tour and accommodation prices, and remember that late winter and autumn are often cited as good times for aurora. Build in a rest day so a late chase night does not spoil the next morning's plans.

Alternatives: flying versus night train and onward connections

Flying to Rovaniemi is faster, but the night train saves a hotel night and puts you in Lapland ready for the day. The train is the greener choice and lets you bring a car or bike for self-guided chasing once you arrive.

From Rovaniemi, onward buses and trains reach other Lapland bases, and rental cars open up areas away from the main routes. If your plan includes Sámi culture or Lake Inari, build those legs into the trip from the start.

Travelling on the Santa Claus Express with a dog

If you are heading north with a dog rather than a sledge, the practical question is how the Santa Claus Express handles animals on board. The Finnish double-decker night train, known as the Santa Claus Express, travels from Helsinki and Turku to snow-covered Lapland in the north, and it is operated by Finnish Railways (VR). When you book, the list of additional services offered alongside the usual passengers and social discounts includes Pet, alongside Bike, Wheelchair and Assistant, so a dog is booked as an add-on to your own ticket rather than turning up unannounced at Helsinki central station.

What that means in practice is that the sleeper side of the journey needs planning. Reservations for beds and cabins on the Santa Claus Express night trains are compulsory, and VR currently only sells sleeper cabins as a whole and not as separate beds, so a couple travelling with a dog takes a whole cabin for themselves. Reservations open up to 10 months in advance, and during high season it is advised to book well in time, which matters more than usual when you need a cabin type that accepts a pet. The trains feature wifi, and cabins are equipped with power sockets, with the choice of your own shower and toilet, so the dog is not the only one who arrives clean.

On the route itself, the choice of stop shapes the dog's first morning. The Santa Claus Express runs from Helsinki and Turku in the south to Rovaniemi, Kemijärvi and Kolari in Finnish Lapland, and one of the trains stops at Rovaniemi, the official home of Santa Claus, and then goes on to Kemijärvi, its final destination, while the other service runs even more North towards Kolari along the Swedish border. Rovaniemi is situated where the arctic circle begins, a city of some 63 000 people whose street plan is designed to shape the head of a reindeer, a design planned by Alvar Aalto. Kemijärvi and Kolari are both above the magic Polar Circle, which is worth knowing when you are counting on snow underfoot the morning you step off.

Plan Your Visit

Book the Santa Claus Express early, choose a whole cabin if you want rest, and pick your Lapland stop by the terrain and tours you want. Treat the train as the start of the trip and give yourself several nights on the ground.

Check the current fares and reservation fees on VR's booking page before you commit, and keep your aurora plans flexible for cloud cover. For the wider picture, see the guide to the northern lights in Finland.